Writer's Window
by Remo Con
Summary: Seto's struggling with a past that he had thought was long put to rest and Joey is fighting against a future that could tear apart his relationship so carefully forged with Seto. Will these two be able to overcome the final obstacle? Artist's Window seque
1. Pick a Subject

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Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better.

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CHAPTER 1: _Pick a Subject_

"Mr. Joey Wheeler?!" Joey turned around to look at the man who was running toward him frantically. He didn't know who it was, however, so he turned away and began to walk again.

"Wait!" Joey stopped, annoyed. He was supposed to be meeting Seto in a few minutes, now he was going to be late.

What? And who are you?" Joey demanded as the man finally caught up, wheezing as middle-age men do when they do not run a lot and are forced to sprint a short distance.

"OH, sorry, I'm Darren Eniwa. I'm a talent scout from the Boston School of Art and I'd like you to go there next year when you start college." The man held out a small business card but Joey couldn't reach up to grab it. His arms went numb. His entire body seemed to shut off. _Boston_ School of art? It took him a few minutes to process this but once it had been completely comprehended the choice was obvious.

"Nope, sorry, not interested." He looked down at his watch. 3: 30. If he hurried, he might be only a minute or two late.

"Please, before you refuse, take this card and sleep on it. Then tell me in a few days." Darren forced the card into Joey's hand and walked off toward his car, which was parked at the other end of the street.

Joey sighed and stuffed the card into his jean pocket. As soon as he no longer felt the paper against his skin he banished it from his mind and concentrated on one thing, getting to Seto before the CEO got some sort of call form his blasted company and rushed away, leaving Joey a note telling him to be on time if he wanted to catch him from now on.

3:34, not bad when you think about it considering Joey had to run down the entire street and across two intersections to get to the restaurant. His cheeks were flushed and his breathing heavy as he pushed open the door and stepped inside. His eyes scanned the tables for his blue dragon, but he didn't seem to be there. He sighed and his shoulders sagged as he tried to lean against the wall.

The wall, however, was bit too fleshy and it snaked arms around Joey's waste.

"Hello, puppy." Hm, definitely not a wall.

"Watcha doin' back here?" Joey asked, leaning back into the embrace, conformably leaning his head under the CEO's as Seto had gained a few more inches over the past year, leaving him at six foot three while Joey remained five foot eleven.

"Waiting for you, love," Seto whispered into Joey's ear. It tingled under the warm breath.

"You're not mad dat I was late den?" Joey said hopefully. Seto laughed softly.

"Pup, your all time record was forty-five minutes. You're only four minutes behind. Believe me, I hardly noticed," Seto said teasingly. Joey pouted.

"Hey, I was doing something important during those forty five minutes," he protested.

"Doing your best to beat some sort of video game if I recall correctly."

"And I did."

"Which makes it so much less of a waste of time as opposed to if you had lost."

"Of course." Joey could feel Seto grin into his hair as he buried his face into Joey's impossible mop.

"Are we going to get a table?" Seto groaned and let go of Joey.

"I suppose," he said regretfully. Joey grinned sexily.

"Don't worry, there's always later."

"Have I corrupted you puppy?" Seto inquired as they walked to a table in the back. "Or did you always have such a wonderfully dirty mind?"

"It's your fault," Joey said dramatically. "I never used to think dis way." TO make his point he dropped down onto the chair, flinging his arms out and doing his best to look traumatized.

Seto grinned as he sat down next to Joey. He looked to the other side of the table and a waiter magically appeared, notebook open in one hand and a black pen poised just above the first sheet of paper, ready to write.

"What can I get you wonderful gentlemen on this fine day?" Suck up, Joey thought. He knows who Seto is.

"The house special perhaps, Mister Kaiba?" Seto's eyes narrowed. HE had nothing against being well known, but he did not approve or even ignore people who tired to get something for themselves by trying to win him over.

"It's on the house." And there it was, the beginning of the monster.

"Actually, now that I think of it, I'm not all that hungry," Seto said icily. "Do you want anything, Joey?"

"No," Joey responded quickly. The couple stood and left, leaving a distraught waiter thinking, "Damn. There goes my huge tip!"

"I'm sorry," Seto said once they were away from the restaurant. "Do you want to go somewhere else? It isn't fair for you not to get anything to eat because of my personal vendetta."

"Don't worry," Joey was quick to assure his boyfriend. "It doesn't matter dat much. Not at all really." Seto looked so depressingly apologetic Joey hugged him right there in the middle of the sidewalk, not caring who was watching.

"Seriously, it okay."

"All right," Seto said almost grudgingly, practically begging to be told he was horrible person.

"Now, why don't we go to a movie?" Joey suggested as they half broke apart, each leaving one arm around the other.

"Sound-" Then his phone rang. "Damn," he muttered as he took it out of his coat pocket.

Joey had to smile, even if this was cutting in on his time with Seto, it was still kind of funny to see the frustrated look on his koi's face. IN truth at times the CEO hated Kaiba Corp. but he held onto it nonetheless just to spite his stepfather, who, even after all this time, he still hated with a passion.

Seto opened his phone and held it up to his ear.

"Kaiba. What's the problem now?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you sir," his secretary said, sounding frightened. Idly Seto wondered if he really was that scary or if maybe this girl just had some sort of nerves disorder. He supposed he should be paying attention to her anyway. "-broke in-"

"What?" he exclaimed.

"It appears that s-someone b-broke in," his secretary stammered.

"Was anything stolen?" Seto demanded, quickly running through a list of things that a rival company could want. It was long list.

"That's the strange part sir, the alarm went off and we don't see that anything is stolen, except that we can't get into your office." Seto hissed in frustration.

"I'll be right there." Seto turned to Joey regretfully.

"Pup-" Joey shook his head.

Go. I can tell dat it's important. I'll see ya later."

"All right. I should be back at the mansion no later than eight," Seto said, quickly kissing his puppy as he hailed a taxi (the limo was in the garage for it's annual oil-change).

"I'll be dere," Joey said as Seto stuffed himself into the cab.

"Kaiba Corp." he heard Seto command and he watched as the bright yellow car drove off.

Now what was he going to do? Joey sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. His right hand brushed against something. Oh, that damn thing.

Wonder if Yugi's home…

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

Seto strode into the building, his eyes burning with a cold rage. When would these stupid competitors realize that his secrets were not to be stolen and would not be stolen by the petty thieves they sent.

His secretary met him by the elevator on the first floor.

"Sir-" she began.

"Save it," he snapped. And then he stepped into the elevator with her trailing behind like a whipped dog. The elevator rose almost painfully slow and each time the familiar ding came to announce another floor had been passed, Seto become more and more agitated.

"Come on," he muttered. "Come on!"

Ding. 5th floor. Ding. 10th floor. Ding. 13th floor. Ding. 17th floor. Ding. 19th floor. There should be one more, just one more floor. But there wasn't. The elevator stopped with a jolt. Seto became very still. This had never happened before, and he had a sinking feeling that it was not supposed to be happening now.

For a moment nothing happened. It was almost like a state of suspended animation, rather like you might read about in science fiction novel. Then his secretary started to whimper in fear and time began to move forward. The elevator creaked and dropped suddenly. The whimper became a full-fledged scream and Seto felt his throat constrict with terror.

Was this how he was going to die? In an elevator, plunging to a gruesome doom? Joey. The name jarred an unpleasant cord in his train of panicking thought. Would he never see his puppy again?

Then all of a sudden it stopped and Seto tumbled to the floor. His breathing was quick and sharp, his heart beating much faster than normal. He sat up and forced himself to calm down, hyperventilating, passing out, neither were particularly desirable nor helpful at the moment.

Just when Seto had gotten himself back under control and was checking ot see if his secretary was all right (frightened, but otherwise unharmed) the unthinkable happened. The door opened.

Grinding his teeth together. Seto stepped out into the office area. Someone was toying with him and he did not appreciate it.

"Mr. Kaiba," his secretary said, tears rolling down her face as she rushed to catch up.

"Stay here," Seto instructed her firmly. "I think this is probably the safest place for you right now." She nodded numbly, slumping back against one of the outward walls of the cubicle.

Seto, sure she wasn't going to move until God himself came and picked her up (or at least to Seto go back) went on until he reached the end of the floor and opened the door to the stairs. Looking at the number by the door, Seto became even more furious. The elevator had only dropped two floors. Whoever was trying to mess with is mind this way was going to have a serious problem very shortly.

Up one flight, then the next and suddenly Seto found himself in front of door 20. Now, Seto was not stupid. Whoever it was had rigged the elevator in the time from when his secretary tried to get into his office and the time he had arrived, not to mention simply breaking into his office and keeping everyone else was a feat to be applauded with all the extra security he put on it himself. By now it was all to entirely possible this person had done something to this door as well. Maybe he would be electrocuted as soon as he touched the doorknob. An image of himself lying charred on top of the staircase flashed through Seto's mind.

He shoved that thought away and reached out for the handle. HE couldn't just stand there all day while that thief did God knows what in his office.

His fingers barely brushed against it and…it swung open, revealing an empty, desolate room. Seto walked in hesitantly. It didn't appear to be a trap- but maybe, and this he was beginning to think true, maybe this wasn't a normal thief. He had no idea what to expect.

Walking through the empty floor Seto saw the door to his office swing open a crack, and inside he could see the soft glow of a lamp, though it was sunny out still. He took two more steps, and stopped. A few minutes passed with no movement. Then the door opened half an inch more.

Knowing he was being watched, Seto moved forward until he was right in front of the door. It swung all the way open to reveal a long blonde-haired girl.

"Hello, Seto," she said in a pleasant voice. "Long time no see."

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Next Chapter:

Joey knocked once, twice, three times on the Turtle Shop's front door. He was a bit worried, the door was never locked, especially now during business hours. There was even a closed sign hanging on the door, declaring that no one was to come in, stating this in big bright red letters. For a sickening moment Joey was reminded horribly of blood…

A/N: I'm back! I hope everyone who read Artist's Window hasn't given up on me and moved on to reading much more talented authors works…that would severely traumatize me. Anyway, since there are no reviews on this story yet, I have nothing to answer, but merely ask PLEASE REVIEW- I like writing back to your thoughts on my story. Remo


	2. Come up with a plot

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Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better.

Ooh, and now we've got some pretty Michelle Branch songs, this time from her c.d. Hotel Paper. So class, what does this mean? Class: You're a hopeless loser with no potential who has to rely on songs from other people to make her chapter longer? (glares) Class: That you're a lovely person, who's just a tad bit lazy sometimes. Me: Better…

CHAPTER 2: _Plan out the Plot_

Now, don't just walk away

Pretending everything's okay

And you don't care about me

I know its just no use

When all your lies become your truths

And I don't care

Joey knocked once, twice, three times on the Game Shop's front door. He was a bit worried, the door was never locked, especially now during business hours. There was even a closed sign hanging on the door declaring that no one was to come in, stating this in bright red letters. For a sickening moment Joey was reminded horribly of blood.

He pounded again, harder, wishing that the Motous had a car like normal people so he could have some way of telling if they were even home.

"Yugi?" he called out, trying to get someone's attention. "Yami? Gramps?"

"Joey?" The door creaked open upon its aging hinges to reveal Solomon Motou, looking worn and world-weary. His eyes were glassy as if he wanted to cry but at the same time refused to let any tears fall. "What are you doing here?"

"I came t'see Yug," Joey answered.

"Now's really not a good time," Solomon said in that voice of someone trying to be polite while wishing you would leave and go to the other side of the planet. "I'll tell him you dropped by." The old man tried to shut the door but Joey stuck his food in the doorway. He winced. Clearly doing that was a thing you could only do in movies without experiencing actual pain.

"What's goin' on?" Joey demanded. "Is Yugi sick?"

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose," Solomon said. "He's not sick in his body so much as his heart is suffering."

"Why?" Joey persisted. Solomon hesitated, unsure of whether it would be right for him to answer, but the fire in Joey's eyes, the need to know what was going on with his best friend moved him and so Solomon gave in.

"Yami left."

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

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Could you look me in the eye

And tell me that you're happy now?

Would you tell it to my face?

Or have it been erased

Are you happy now?

Her face, there was something familiar about it in the narrow paleness that was shadowed by two curtains of straw-straight blonde hair. Perhaps it was the eyes, watching him, wide and large, that three his memory reeling, because he had a feeling that he should remember a girl with ruby-red eyes.

"Seto," her voice was like crackling thunder, sheets of ice falling on top of you, and for an instant Seto almost forgot that this creature had broken into his company, tampered with the elevator, and almost killed him. In that instant he could- almost.

"Who the hell are you?" Seto felt the fury pounding in his veins, a big ball of hate growing in his heart. Why was everyone so obsessed with ruining his company? His stepfather hadn't been in charge of Kaiba Corp. for years, it was a gaming company now, what got people so upset with him? Why couldn't they just leave him alone?

A grin, malicious and full of bitterness, pasted itself on the girl's face. Seto wasn't sure if girl was the correct term to be used with her, an odd maturity radiated off of her. But she didn't not look older than him physically, if anything she seemed a few years younger.

"You don't remember me, Seto?" she asked, her voice sending chills down his spine. She looked at him intently, her face looking as if it were set in stone with her eyes open wide, completely incapable of blinking.

Seto took a step back, his head spinning. Something was wrong with this girl. She radiated the same kind of dark aura as what he felt whenever the freaky Shadow Realm (which he was slowly starting to believe in) was called.

"Should I? I try not to become familiar with too many freaks at once and I've already filled up my quota for life," Seto said, the sarcasm and nastiness he had worked so hard on to make it in the business world popping up. He considered making a grab at them as they passed his lips, but then realized for once he didn't feel bad. He was done feeling sorry for those psychos who tried to toy with him- no matter what sob story she was going to come up with.

"I would watch that tongue of yours if I were you," the girl said. "It might cause you problems that you'll have no way of dealing with." Suddenly she disappeared. Seto blinked once and all of a sudden an arm was around his neck and his arms were in an unbreakable hold.

"You promised to be mine, Seto Kaiba. And I've come to make you keep your word. I will be back to take what is mine." Then he felt her press her lips to his neck just below his hairline.

Then he was free.

"That was no thief," he said to himself, collapsing onto the floor, his heart beating wildly and his brain numb. For the first time in quite a few years Seto felt fear, fear of the unknown. And in his mind there was nothing more terrifying in existence.

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

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You took all there was to take

And left me with an empty plate

And you don't care about it, yeah

And I am giving up this game

And leaving you with all the blame

Cause I don't care

How much time had passed? Seto lifted his head up and looked at the clock. Hm, about half an hour, actually. He groaned. He should get up, his secretary would be waiting and so would Joey in a few hours.

But the floor was so lovely, and what's more was if he stayed on the floor he didn't have to deal with whatever that thing had been…

"Mister Kaiba?" he turned his head on the floor and saw his secretary staring down at him.

"Damn," he whispered, feeling slightly hysterical thus bringing on irrational amusement. "She moved."

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Could you look me in the eye

And tell me that you're happy now? Yeah

Come on tell it to my face

Or have I been replaced

Are you happy now? Yeah

Do you really have everything you want?

You can't ere give something you ain't got

You can't run away from yourself

Would you look me in the eye?

Could you look me in the eye?

I've had all that I can take

I'm not about to break'

Cause I'm happy now

Are you happy now?

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Next Chapter: Create the Characters

"Left?" Joey inquired, staring in disbelief. "As in, he just took off?" Solomon smiled bitterly.

"Yes, Joseph, that's exactly was it means."

And now to thank my lovely reviewers: You guys are completely awesome! I was so worried that no one would read this story, but it's really great to know that a bunch of people still are. Thank you so much! And I'm sorry that I haven't updated sooner, but school has just been so stupid and teachers for some reason decided to pile up the homework last week and then I've had the play…oh, sorry, nvm, no excuses. But anyway, now onto the replies!

Shin Mao: Horror? Moi? Only if I want to spend the next ten days living under my bed in terror of my own story (lol). Ah, not Mai, but you still don't know who yet. And don't worry- Seto and Joey will prevail in the end (If I'm feeling generous insert maniacal laughter )

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Kumori Sakusha formerly Saelbu: Yay! I was told my chapter was cool (wipes tear of joy out of her face) this a monumental day in my life indeed. Hope you liked this chapter!

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Panda girl: I wrote "Artist's Window" and if you want some Bakura, then read that one too 'cause he's got an amusing part toward the end. And then I just posted up a Mai/Varon fic…but I think I'll finish this story before I start any major Bakura fic (which I will someday, 'specially if you want one!)

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Solarsenshi: I'm going on, I hope you're still reading!

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Mokuba's Official Glomper: (laughs) Having funKaiba? Kaiba: not really… So, exactly how am I to get you out of this chair your stuck in? Anyway, glad you're enjoying the story, hope you still are!

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Lady Shinigami: Always glad to hear people appreciate my work (basking in the praise) Self: Oh, don't get all happy, you've probably gone and ruined her appreciation of anything you've ever written. Me: You're so mean! (sobs) (grins) Anyway, glad you liked it so far!

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Kitkat1978: I'm glad I'm writing a sequel too when you're making me feel all happy inside with your wonderful review! (feeling very happy) and this is on your favorites lists? (dies in heavenly bliss) Okay, now I have to be nosy, and I really don't expect an answer, but for your penname, were you born in 1978, or do you just like the number?

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Midnight Schemer: Muahahahahahaha! Another pretty ending! Buahahahahahaha! Finally someone who appreciates evil laughter like I do! Muahahaha (cough) (choke) (wheeze) Okay, enough laughing. Hope you liked the chapter!

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Dawn: You liked the secretary? (feeling happy) Didn't think anyone would notice her…anyway, sorry for taking so long to update (ducks at objects flying her way) Sorry!

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Time Again: Ithink you reviewed Artist's Window…(pauses) er, I think… (feeling honored) I'm on your favorites list! (jumps up and down for a few minutes) Yay!!!!!!!

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Misori Chan: Girlfriend (looks around nervously) Um (peaks around corner) Er (thinks coast is clear) (makes a run for it) (finds herself impaled with many sharp objects) I guess you'll just have to wait and find out!

Chika of the high Mts: Is this enough more? For a week or so anyway…and hope I updated soon enough! Thanks for the review!

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Anyway, thank you all again for reviewing and I apologize for the short chapter- next time will be longer. Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW! Remo


	3. Create the Characters

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Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better.

Ooh, and now we've got some pretty Michelle Branch songs, this time from her c.d. Hotel Paper. So class, what does this mean? Class: You're a hopeless loser with no potential who has to rely on songs from other people to make her chapter longer? (glares) Class: That you're a lovely person, who's just a tad bit lazy sometimes. Me: Better…

CHAPTER 3:_ Create the Characters_

"Left?" Joey inquired, staring in disbelief. "As in, he just took off?" Solomon smiled bitterly.

"Yes, Joseph, that's exactly was it means." It was inconceivable, completely impossible; there was no way on earth that Yami would ever leave his hikari. That would be like if all of a sudden Good Charlotte (1) gave up punk rock for Christian. It just wouldn't work.

But here was the man who had raised Yugi telling him that it was true. Yami was gone…which left only one thing to say.

"Why?" Solomon looked startled. "Why did he leave I mean." It was a fair question, Joey thought. Next to Yugi, Yami was his best friend and he didn't want either of them hurt, and he didn't want to think badly of either as well. So he had to think there was a reason behind Yami's disappearance, because there had to be, it was simple as that.

"I don't know, Joseph," the old man sighed. "I wish I did. To be honest, I'm not sure if Yugi knows, but if he does he hasn't told me."

"Can I talk to him?" Joey persisted.

"No, Joseph, why don't you just go home? Yugi will talk to you when he's ready," Solomon said firmly. And with that final statement he closed the game shop door, and this time Joey let him.

Numbly, Joey turned and walked down the street, his mind reeling and his body moving on auto-pilot. Lets review for the day, shall we? His mind was saying. First you run into a guy who wants you to go to Boston next year to study art. But that would make you too far away from Seto, not to mention your friends. Second you were late to meet Seto but he didn't care, but then there was a loser waiter and you left the restaurant to only seconds later have Seto rush away because someone had broke into Kaiba Corp. Again. Third, you tried to visit Yugi only to find out Yami had left. Having a good day? I think not. Can't wait to find out what happens next.

"Next," Joey whispered out the lingering word. But the unpleasant after taste stuck to every taste bud. What would happen next? He'd thought after getting Seto everything in life would seem simple. Ha, it sucked to be wrong. Oh well. He glanced down at his watch. It was almost 5. Had he really been at the game shop that long? Ah, well, he might as well head over to Seto's house. Perhaps then the day would make more sense.

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

Yugi lay on his bed, his face pale and hair limp. The area around his eyes was red and there were streaks going down his face from all the tears he had cried. The blinds were closed on his window and it caused a sort of gloomy almost darkness to blanket the room. All the mirrors were covered up and all the pictures were face down. The closets were shut and the door was locked. He had completely withdrawn himself from everyone and everything because he was afraid that somewhere he would be reminded of Yami.

Why had he left? Not even a note, not even a goodbye, and not even a hint of unhappiness or restlessness or dissatisfaction. If had had been any of those things, why hadn't he told Yugi? They were partners, they were soul mates, they were friends, Yugi would have understood. If Yami had needed something he could have just said so.

Why had he left?

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

"Tell everyone to go home," Seto instructed his secretary as he stepped into the taxi. "Make sure no one is left here and make doubly sure that every lock is locked, every blinks, curtain and door is closed. I want a completely shutdown of Kaiba Corp. for the next day until I can figure out whatever just happened.

"This is an extremely dangerous situation. She did not make her intent clear, nor did she seem the type to give up. In fact she told me she'd be back, and I don't want anyone here to be in danger. Make sure they take care once home. Call me if anything happens." His secretary nodded. Since off the top floor her nerves had all but disappeared and she was ready to take charge and do what Seto had told her too. Seto was frankly amazed that the timid creature who had had trouble telling him anything over the phone was the same person who was about to go take charge of the entire building. But hey, he had always been an astonishingly good at picking people would had hidden strength or whatever. One of the many reasons Kaiba Corp. was the leading gaming company in Japan.

As he got into the taxi he felt almost relaxed, knowing that for once he didn't have to take care of anything.

But then the sight of those read eyes came back and the feel of her just behind him. Seto almost shuddered but stopped himself just in time. Who was she? She had said something, something about coming back to make him keep his word. But what could he have said to her if he didn't even recognize her?

Dammit, this was beginning to bother him, and at the same time seriously worry him. To what lengths was this creature willing to go to get whatever it was she wanted? Would she harm Joey? Or Mokuba? He had to get home.

"Can you go any faster?" he ground out at the driver.

"Only if you want me to get a speeding ticket," the driver shot back. Seto honestly didn't care if the man did, but if the police stopped them it would only delay his getting home further so he sat back and closed his eyes, trying to calm down. The situation was out of his control. He just had to relax….

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

"Well, pharaoh, Seto darling doesn't remember me, what do you think of that?" Yami's eyes opened wide in fear as he saw her take a knife out from a sheath hidden in her boot. He lay bound and gagged, unable to escape the corner she had put him in. The ground was covered in filth and unpleasant odors wafted up to his nose, but he knew there were more important things to worry about. Like staying alive for instance.

She took a step forward. Out from a crack in the wall near Yami's feet came a big, fat rat. It squeaked and ran across the floor, darting between her legs and going through the door, which Yami knew she had left open to taunt him.

"I was so hurt. How could he forget me?" she continued, taking another step. "Me! The person he is destined to be with!" Yami's fear increased as he saw a hysterical flash in her eyes, doubled by the seed of genuine insanity that was growing with every passing day.

"Well, pharaoh," she whispered, her voice chilling, scaring Yami to a level he hadn't thought he could feel. "It will soon be fixed. He will be mine." And within a second she was looming over him, knife raised…

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

I was listening to Good Charlotte when I wrote this. **__**

Next Chapter: Write the first draft

"Joey?" Seto called. "Mokuba? Is anybody home?! Please, answer me!" Mokuba appeared at the top of the staircase.

"What's wrong, big bro?" Mokuba asked.

"Is Joey here?" Seto demanded.

"No, not yet."

"Oh no," Seto whispered.

And now to answer the best reviewers in the world: Thanks you all so much! I appreciate your response so much! And now I'll apologize again for not updating sooner, but hey, better later than never. In any case, I don't know if I'll update next week or not. It might end up being closer to two weeks. Sorry! But every feel proud of me, yesterday I learned ballroom dancing (which is why I didn't update yesterday like I meant too).

Shin Mao: No! No! Please don't get confused! I hope this wasn't bad! Confusion is bad! -sobs-

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Chika of the high Mts: To clear it up, he was on the ground because he was sort of frozen it terror. Like yousai**d**, she was majorly freaky. And he is going to Joey! Don't worry! And, as you have now found out, I wouldn't call it leaving….

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solarsenshi: Not, not Kisara (never heard of her, had to ask my sister) and school work? Before fanfiction? I'll be ignoring that…

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Mokuba's Official Glomper: Boys, boys, just have a threesome! Joey/Seth/Seto: NO! Remo: Being difficult…anyway, gladyou liked the chapter. Haha, was she really creepy? Awesome, that's what I was going for! Yay! Hope you liked this chapter.

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Lady Shinigami: Haha, ego stroking is fun (I agree) but as for the whole updating thing, how about this? If you really wanna find out, you keep reviewing and I'll update as fast as I can! (I'm beginning to really like this story)

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Time-Again: a movie? (dreams) Announcer: Coming soon to theater….the heartbreaking tale of two lovers who think that their life is perfect…only to get a rude awakening when a mysterious stranger comes and…(coughs) well, anyway, thanks again for reviewing, glad you liked my story!

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Misori Chan: it pained me to write that scene. Hehe, anyway, glad your still reading! (and if really do strangle her, it would be so much better for all the characters!)

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Repmet: You think my story is good (completely bowled over) wow…although I know what you mean, it is hard to find the perfect story (just not so sure mines any good at all) and thanks! I love people having my on their author alerts (personally I've got over 200…but hey, I like to read) anyway, hope you liked this chapter!

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Lostlover1: Yay! You reviewed! I was so lonesome (sniffle) anyway, fluff scenes will be coming soon (I'll post your name in big letter before them, okay? -lol-) Anyway, I dunno about you, but I think Yami's got a good enough reason…

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Smoocher of Evil: THANKS! Updating, soon enough I hope! And hope you liked it!

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Ayamari: I'm updating- sorry I didn't update sooner- but I updated! 

Kumori Sakusha formerly Saelbu: Really? It was good? So happy to hear (feeling very happy) anyway, hope you like this chapter to!

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jim hawking jr: thanks!

Anyway, thanks for reading again, PLEASE REVIEW! Remo


	4. Write the First Draft

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Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better.

Ooh, and now we've got some pretty Michelle Branch songs, this time from her c.d. Hotel Paper. So class, what does this mean? Class: You're a hopeless loser with no potential who has to rely on songs from other people to make her chapter longer? (glares) Class: That you're a lovely person, who's just a tad bit lazy sometimes. Me: Better…

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CHAPTR 4: _Write the First Draft_

"Joey?" Seto called. "Mokuba? Is anybody home?! Please, answer me!" Mokuba appeared at the top of the staircase.

"What's wrong, big bro?" Mokuba asked.

"Is Joey here?" Seto demanded.

"No, not yet."

"Oh no," Seto whispered.

"What's wrong?" Mokuba asked, coming down the stairs in a hurry. The look on Seto's face reminded him of the look the older boy had worn when the news of their father's death had come to their attention.

"Joey…hasn't…come?" Seto whispered brokenly, horrible thoughts running through his mind. That girl- she was dangerous. What has she done? What would she do?

"Don't worry, niisan," Mokuba said, trying to comfort Seto and drive away whatever demon was haunting him now. "He's not supposed to come 'til later, remember? He's probably hanging with Yugi right now."

This had no occurred to Seto in his blind panic. He had been so sure of the worst- maybe he was one of those people who thrived off the drama of tragedy? That was such a ridiculous though the bad feeling that had been plaguing him since the incident in Kaiba Corp. disappeared and he smiled.

"You're right, I was being stupid," Seto told Mokuba, running his hand through his hair in a rather sheepish manner that was quite out of character for him.

"What's going on?" Mokuba asked immediately, following Seto's sort of apology. The younger Kaiba might not be the genius that his brother was, but he was by no means stupid. After all, if it weren't for him Seto probably would have never gotten together with Joey. He knew something was up. And he also knew it was something big for it to rattle Seto this much, and if it really was that important, Mokuba felt he had a right to know what was going on.

Seto stopped moving. His breath caught in his throat. A knocking came at the door and all the ease he had gained slipped away and he began tumbling down back into a thoughtless hysteria. It was her- it had to be her, who else could it be?

Mokuba looked at him, telling him to get it. But he wouldn't. He couldn't let her in.

Sighing, Mokuba walked over to the door and pulled it open himself. Seto started to call out to tell him to stop, to not do it, but it was to late.

Standing in the doorway was…Joey. Not even close to that mysterious girl who had some sort of hold over him. One he couldn't seem to break no matter how hard he tried or how far away he got.

"Come in," Mokuba said. Lowering his voice he added, "I'm afraid something not quite right with Seto. Could you try and find out what it is?" Joey nodded and Mokuba quietly expressed his thanks.

"I'm going to go back upstairs now," Mokuba announced, his see-through attempt to get the two alone amusing.

Once Mokuba was gone, Joey turned his attention to Seto. Mokuba hadn't been kidding when he said something was bothering Seto. Anxiety was rolling off him in waves, his fear so strong one could almost taste it simply by breathing.

Seto was likewise looking at Joey. Were fear was coming from him, a deep sense of loss radiated off Joey. His face was worn and looked like he had been crying. All in all, the pain in the room was beginning to get unbearable, and they both knew it.

"What's wrong?" they asked at he same time.

"You first," Seto said. "I'm not quite sure how to say my problem yet."

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

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(The Night Before)

Bakura was sitting at the computer, typing up a new quiz for his website, editing the layout, adding a couple more pictures, going through the member list and randomly deleting a couple just to be spiteful, when it hit him.

At first he ignored it, figuring that perhaps Marik was playing around in the Shadow Realm again (it was no secret that he did it often when bored), but then it grew stronger. The wrong pounded at the back of his head like a migraine, except worse because black magic was indeed worse than any mortal condition. He hit save and looked over at Ryou, who was sleeping soundly; unaware that anything was off in the world.

Standing up slowly he let his hand drift down toward the hidden knife at his waist (old habits die hard) when suddenly the window by Ryou's bed opened without warning. He whipped out the knife and crept toward it, making no noise.

Then he lunged…at air.

No one was there.

He peered out the window curiously. It was windy outside, it was possible that Ryou hadn't locked the window and it had blown open. Maybe he was getting paranoid because his new life was too peaceful for the former King of Thieves.

Sighing, he shut the window and sheathed the knife once more.

"Hello tomb robber." He turned around slowly. Sitting at the end of Ryou's bed was a woman with glowing red eyes.

"Who are you?" he growled. She ran her finger up and down Ryou's side, smiling a twisted smile. Ryou tossed in his sleep but did not wake, for which Bakura was thankful.

"Get away from him!"

"My, my," she said, her tone chilling. "You're very protective of this boy, aren't you tomb robber? Well this is certainly interesting. And I thought it was bad that the all powerful pharaoh had fallen for a weak boy, but here is the great King of Thieves protecting yet another pitiful creature." The way she spat out his former title angered him, but he did not let his rage effect his judgement. One wrong move and it could be all over for Ryou.

"Who are you?" he repeated his question. There was something vaguely familiar about her. But perhaps it was the darkness in her eyes calling out to his old self.

"Names are of no matter, tomb robber. Merely know that I am the one who you should fear above all else." As the words left her mouth Bakura did fear her so much it felt like his heart would explode any second. If it had come from anyone else, it would have been confident blather, but from her…it was true.

"What do you want?" Bakura directed at her, doing his best to contain his fright, because he could not forget who else was at risk her as she stood up and leaned over Ryou, leaving a kiss on his forehead like a mother does to a small child. But there was no motherly affection in her eyes, only cold malice and spite as she laughed at Bakura without sound. Look, her eyes said, I have in my power the ability to kill what you love most. And you can do nothing about it.

"You," she said simply.

"Me?"

"Yes, and if you come with me without a fight, this boy will not be harmed in any way. That is what you want, isn't it?" she mocked him. But an air of seriousness floated around her.

Bakura sucked in a quick gasp of air, deciding something.

"You won't harm him in anyway?"

"You have my word," she said. That was enough, because dark though she was, her word carried a lot of power. He was pretty sure he could trust her that far.

"All right then," he said heavily. "I'll go with you."

"Excellent." Darkness consumed him and as he floated into unconsciousness, the last thing Bakura saw was her glowing, red eyes, laughing at him.

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SPECIAL NOTE

I don't know how many of you remember how in the epilogue of "Artist's Window" Bakura had a website, and well he's working on it in this one. And remember how I told you it wasn't an actual website to my knowledge? Well, it still isn't but now I do have a website (that I do with my friend, GoddessoftheWaters) and I invite all of you to go there and become members! The address is it really needs members, it really needs members to post messages, it needs members to submit pictures (especially pictures!!!!!) and I would like anyone with fanfics to give me permission to put their stories on it. So please, everyone go and become members!!!!!!!

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Next Chapter: Revise and do second draft

"I went to Yugi's today," Joey began and then stopped. It hurt to think about this and he wasn't even Yugi! Seto's eyes glittered in amusement and wondered why, not knowing that Seto was thinking how Mokuba must be some kind of little psychic.

"Yes," Seto prompted, seeing that Joey wasn't continuing.

"And, well, I found out something…

And now to reply to my wonderful reviewers: Thank you so much for being patient with me! I know I haven't updated in a while and I'm sorry. Not to mention last time I posted a chapter at a crappy time when the weekend after (and I did post Thursday night) you couldn't review it or anything because was doing something, but oh well. Thanks to everyone who did mange to review!!!!!

Kumori Sakusha fomerly Saelbu: Thanks? Exciting? Notconfusing? Good… 

Repmet: -blushing- ah, well, I didn't know that. Were they really? On their first c.d.? I've never heard that one? But thanks…at least I can write if not keep my bands straight…

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Chika of the High Mts: thanks, I'm updating! And nope, not Kisara (is she in the manga? Or what? I've never heard of her until people started guessing her for the girl…) good try though!

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Time-Again: Is it confusing have a yami? Or whatever wolfe is? But anyway, glad you liked the chapter, and of I have to say glad to hear you didn't think Yami would just leave Yugi. That would be awful!!!! Course if I keep going the way I am he'll end up dead and that would be worse. Oops… shouldn't have said that.

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Lady Shinigami: I'll warn the red eyed lady for you about the can of misery. That should definitely change her mind about the whole killing Yami thing. But anyway, what did you think of chapter four? Completely horrible? And don't worry- you weren't late reviewing! You can never be late reviewing!

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Solarsenshi: so what do you think of this chapter? And if you were amazed at the last chapter at the plot twists, what do you think of this one? Huh? Huh? Darn, now I'm getting carried away.

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Mokuba's Offical Glomper: Good to hear you two are free…but (eyes Metro) are you sure you're going to trust him to get Seto and Seth our safely? Anyway, thanks for reviewing! And I hope things work out all right over there.

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Nannae: Don't worry- its continuing now! Its good? Now I'm confused, are you sure you're reading my story? But here's more anyway- hope ya like it!

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So, all that's left to say now I guess is PLEASE REVIEW this chapter. Thanks a million! Remo


	5. Revison and Second Draft

_Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better._

**CHAPTER 5: ****_Revise and Do Second Draft_**

"I went to Yugi's today," Joey began and then stopped. It hurt to think about this and he wasn't even Yugi! Seto's eyes glittered in amusement and he wondered why, not knowing that Seto was thinking how Mokuba must be some kind of little psychic.

"Yes," Seto prompted, seeing that Joey wasn't continuing.

"And, well, I found out somethingYami is gone." The amusement zapped out of Seto's eyes. Apparently it registered a lot quicker with him than it had with Joey.

"Why?" Seto asked quietly.

"I don't know," Joey replied.

"Oh," Seto said. Suddenly Joey's eyes began to fill with tears. Yugi was his best friend, but Yami was too. And those two had been so much in love. If Yami could just leave like that, what did that say about his relationship?

"Joey?" Seto asked softly. "Are you okay?" Joey threw himself into Seto.

"Promise me you won't leave," came Joey's muffled voice. Seto put his arms around Joey.

"I promise," Seto whispered. The girl could wait. Right now he had to be there for Joey

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

_(That night in Egypt)_

Malik stood out in the middle of the desert, watching the wind gently blow the sand dunes around. It was quiet, all the noise of the city left behind. It was just him, the sand, and the stars.

He sat down and began to meditate. He knew he was lucky that Marik had chosen to let him stay when he had mysteriously shown up again. Even now he wasn't quiet sure how he had escaped the confides of the Shadow Realm, but he knew the only reason Marik had kept him was, at first, that he was too scared to do anything else.

But he didn't want that.

In the Shadows he had been tortured, the pain he had inflicted being done back to him doubled. As he had been tortured slowly all the evil had started to seep out of him, all the desire to cause destruction and mayhem, it had been left behind. He had no desire for his hikari to fear him.

So he spent all day doing his best to prove to Marik that he could be trusted, that he had changed. He had even gotten a job and helped pay for the apartment and once summer ended he would even start going to school.

Every night he went out to this spot to meditate, as he was now, to search his soul for any traces of negative energy. If he found any he could rid of it right then are there where no one could be hurt in anyway. People thought he played in the Shadow Realm. That wasn't true. But he figured it was best to let people have their opinions of him that way. Though he wasn't evil, he had pride, and he knew that Bakura and the pharaoh would never let him hear the end of it if they knew he had gone completely good. Especially Bakura.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and began. In, one, two three four, out, one, two, three, four, in, one, two, three, four, out, one two, three, four.

He let his mind free to wander, searching, it was always searching. Minutes passed and he continued in this pattern. Then something made his breath hitch and he opened his eyes.

There, sitting on a larger dune in front of him was a girl.

"Where did you come from?" Marik asked her.

"Where you came from," she said. His eyes widened.

"What do you mean by that?" he demanded. This was no ordinary girl.

"The Shadows of course," she answered. He stood up.

"I think it would be best if you left," he said, doing his best to keep his voice steady.

"Only if you're coming with me."

"Coming with you? Why in Ra's name would I do that?" Marik demanded. "Who are you anyway?"

She didn't answer, instead she carefully jumped off the dune and stepped toward him until she was so close he should have been able to feel her breath on him. But he couldn't - she wasn't breathing.

"Will you come with me?" she asked, keep her eyes locked on his.

"No," he practically shouted. She reached out and put her hand on his chest. He looked down at her hand, it was glowing in a strange black light.

"Come with me," she said. "Or I will return you to your former self and set you loose on your hikari." More so than her words was the way she said it that frightened him most. She didn't say it as a threat. To her it was a simple statement that was as true as the fact that it was night.

"Why?" Marik managed to croak out. "Why would you do such a thing?" A nasty smile worked it was onto her face.

"Because I like to get what I want. And I want Seto Kaiba, and you're going to help me get him." But Marik never heard that because the same darkness that had taken Bakura the night before had already engulfed him.

**_Next Chapter: Send to Agent_**

**_That morning Seto awoke to find Joey in his arms. Not that anything had happened (which was regretful, true) but still, this was certainly a pleasant change to what he normally woke up to. And he had a bad feeling that this was going to be one of the last good things for quite a while._**

**Now to thank my lovely reviewers: Thank you all so much for being patient with me (especially those who are still taking the time to review my pitiful chapters)! And I'm sorry that this is such a short chapter. I was kinda uninspired for a while (not to mention disgustingly emotional) but now I'm back. So I hope you'll bear with me 'cause next chapter will be longer! I promise!**

**Oh, and the website is **** I could have sworn I put it in last time, but anyway, if you can't get to it through that link, go to my bio and click to my Homepage link. I know that works.**

**solarsenshi: **If i told you what Bakura was for it give away everything! And typos...crap. Oh well- revision can come later! First finishing is the goal! And did you say if I post it 3x? What does that have to do with anything?

**Chika of the High Mts: **Okay, when I said it wasn't her, maybe I should have refrased it. Its not her- exactly. Does that help? 'cause it defintly isn't Isis, and thanks for reviewing!

**Smoocher of Evil: **I think problems are good for characters, don't you? And thanks for the compliment (though my story is by no means awesome...)

**Kumori Sakusha formerly Saelbu: **-wipes tear of joy way- i love being understood. And here's your update (just cause its like a month later, that's okay, right?)

**Shin Mao:** Happy? Well...i guess i should work on that.-grin- but hey, at least i'm continuing

**Time-Again: **Dark side? Interesting. Anyway, I love Bakura! And he loves Ryou! Remo: And this has to do with what? Me: Doesn't matter. but anyway I wish i had my talent too! (lol) but anyway, glad ya like it!

**Mokuba's Offical Glomper: **(horrified) He wants them...dead?! How can I not worry?! Continuing (updating) but mostly to pray for Seto's health!

**dawn:** yes, shes has a few problems and i'd throw rocks at her car 'cept she doen'st have one. How about jsut at her? And i hope i fixed the problem with the link.

**Speaker For The Five Year: **-glances suspiciously- are you psychic or what?! and no, Ryou wasn't awake. and i'm glad you like it -suspicous again- But how the hell did you know all that? Am I that obvious? Nooooooo!!!!!1 Anyway, you were wrong about one thing. Its not Kisara. Entirly anyway.

**Anyway, everybody PLEASE REVIEW and I might be posting up a couple new stories so everyone check them out!! Remo**


	6. Send to an Agent

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Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better.

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CHAPTER 6: _Send to Agent_

She was a complicated being. Full of anger, full of passion, but most deeply rooted in the core of her being was a terrible self-loathing, and it was from a desire to mask that feeling all of the rest sprung up. She could capture, torture and kill almost anyone on earth, but at the same time what she feared more than anything else was loneliness, and so in paradox she strove to keep people away to prove to herself that she needed no one.

She could watch the pain and sufferings of others without so much as a flinch, but a sunset often times made her weepy. Outwardly she portrayed evil to its fullest extent, with her blood red eyes and shadow like tendencies, but inside screamed an inside, blue-eyed girl who cherished deeply the good in life.

And it was so- two people, melded together into one, two personalities clashing together, balance between them unattainable- in the beginning.

However, through all the strife and inner turmoil a common goal was reached. Seto Kaiba. Both halves wanted him, both halves decided upon needing him, but both found themselves unable to get him, because the body in which they resided suffered because of their war. So help was sought. And the help received was an evil more deeply rooted in the very being of the war than could be imagined.

But it had set them free- and in doing so created her, the end result of the two's utter desperation.

Now she stood in the grotesque hovel the evil resided in, her three most recent, and decidedly most important, captures sprawled out on the floor, even in the gift of unconsciousness an expression of pain smeared across their faces. He stood behind her, watching her, she knew, to test her loyalty. To test her courage.

He said nothing, but he had never once said anything to her. Not even when she had first sought his help, he had always been silent. But that was sometimes worse, she thought with a cold shiver of fear fluttering briefly inside her, than any amount of yelling or cursing she normally found in people.

He wanted her to do it. It was on this one moment her fate could hang, and yet it was now that she chose to hesitate, it was not her good half yelled loudly that she was doing wrong, that perhaps even Seto Kaiba was not worth this…and for the first time, her darker half even had nothing to say in return. Her two halves had never been in agreement before. She did not like that they were now.

His gaze intensified, the hair on the back of her neck prickled. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and though her insides were screaming at her to stop, she raised up her hand, a knife resting firmly in place, and she brought it down upon…

He was pleased. She could tell. But now she was fully revolted with herself.

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

That morning Seto awoke to find Joey in his arms. The blond shifted a little but going back into a deep, deep sleep. Seto was hardly complaining, after all, it was _Joey_ in his _bed_ with _him_. Hardly something to whine about.

But at the same time his mind was reeling. Joey had never stayed over before- ever. Not that they had slept together or anything close to that from what Seto could tell, but since that wasn't the case, Seto became even more baffled. What had happened last night? He tried to think, but the kept drawing a big blank. In fact, he couldn't remember anything about yesterday at all.

"What the," he said quietly to himself. He turned over and looked at the clock beside his bed. 6:30. Wow. That was really late for him. But, he supposed, since it summer he could sleep late for one day.

At least that's what he thought until he looked at the calendar next to the clock.

September 5.

"Oh shit," he said, shooting up out of bed. Joey tumbled out of his arms and landed with a thump, waking him instantly.

"Wha-?" Joey said sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "Wha's goin' on?"

"School," Seto hissed.

"Huh?"

"School starts today," Seto said, stressing the word today. "In about forty-five minutes."

"What!" Joey yelped, shooting up as well. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to take five minute showers, get dressed, and leave," Seto instructed. "Borrow some pants and shirts and use the bathroom down the hall." Joey nodded and in their haste induced panic, neither questioned the events of the previous day as they practically ran to get ready.

Seto jumped into the shower and turned on the water, fast. It shot out burning out.

"Shit!" he yelped as it scalded him. He frantically turn the heat down until it became a suitable temperature, then he breathed a sigh of relief. All right, he had five minutes. Hardly time to wash his hair and his body and then get out, comb his hair, get dressed, get out of the bathroom, wake up Mokuba and then cart himself and Joey off in time to make it for the first bell. So he settled for taking a glob of soap, putting it on the puff ball Mokuba had insisted on buying him last year (and being the kind of brother he was he had used it ever since) and lathering himself up.

As he rinsed himself off it briefly entered his mind again the conundrum of Joey's presence here, but as soon as he was washed off completely and shut off the water, it had once again flown completely out of his mind.

He dressed in record time and was soon knocking loudly on Mokuba's bedroom door, which got him a loud moan from somewhere inside the frightful territory.

"G'way!"

"Get up!" Seto shot back impatiently.

"No," Mokuba yelled back stubbornly.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Havin' a problem?" Joey inquired as she slipped up from behind. Seto turned briefly to scowl at him.

"Ha, ha," Seto answered sarcastically, still pounding on the door. "Get up now Mokuba! You had better not be late to school- and believe me I'll find out if you are!"

"Fine, jerk," Mokuba huffed. "I'm up."

"Good. See you later then."

"Yeah," Mokuba said, a sullen note prominent in his voice as Seto heard him step onto the floor.

"Come on," he said to Joey. "Let's try not to be late."

"Ya don' think bein' late for the first day of senior year's a good thing?"

"Not generally." Joey displayed a look of over-exaggerated surprise on his face.

"Really? I woulda had ya down as the type a guy who'd love dat."

"Very funny," Seto said, shooting an ice-cold glare at Joey. That was the end of that particular conversation.

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LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES

When they arrived at Domino High they found that it looked exactly as it had last year, and the year before that. Still the same mass of students swarming all over the place, still the same teachers looking less than happy to be teaching said mass, and still the same bright outlook of another one hundred and eighty days following of the same picture.

"I'm gonna miss dis next year," Joey sighed. Seto snorted.

"I'm not." Joey poked him in the side.

"Could ya be less sentimental?"

"If you want," Seto said, enjoying teasing Joey.

"Your hopeless. Let's go find Yug and da rest of da gang," Joey said. For some reason hearing Yugi's name sparked something in Seto's head. It flickered there for a moment, just out of reach before disappearing. Seto shrugged it off. It was probably nothing.

But a shroud of uneasiness came over him later when neither Yugi, nor Yami, nor Ryou, nor Bakura was anywhere to be found. Tea, Tristan and Duke were found easily enough, but oddly they hadn't seen the other four either.

"And you know," Tea said slowly. "Yugi hasn't been returning my calls for the past few days."

"You don't think something happened to them, do you?" Tristan asked, worried. Tea shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe they'll be coming in later. I mean, I know I almost forget school started today."

"I did forget," Joey added.

"Then why are you here?" Tristan inquired.

"'Cause Seto reminded me," Joey said with a little laugh, remembering how worried they had been this morning.

"He actually called you to make sure you remember?" Tristan said in disbelief. "Wow."

"Well, um," Joey hesitated. Only now did he realize where he had been this morning. Quickly he made up his mind. "Yeah. Well, he does know me!" Tristan snorted.

"You have point there my friend." The bell rang and the schoolyard emptied.

"We should probably get going," Seto said.

"What if dey don't show up?" Joey whispered to him as the other three walked away.

"Then we'll call to make sure they're all right," Seto said soothingly. "But I'm sure they're just running a little late."

"I hope you're right," Joey said, his eyes worried. Seto kissed his gently on the lips.

"Don't worry," he said as they broke away. "See you at lunch." Joey nodded, but as Seto watched him leave, a lump of fear grew in his stomach. He had told Joey not to worry, but that didn't mean he couldn't. Four of their friends were missing, and he couldn't remember yesterday at all. Something was going on, and he had a feeling that it wasn't good.

**__**

Next Chapter:

It was lunchtime and none of the four had shown up. Joey could see that as he walked across the lawn outside to where they all had lunch together. Tea, Tristan, and Duke all sat there, but that was all. Now Seto was gone too. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself, his nerves starting to become seriously rattled. Seto would be along soon enough. After all, he had been here this morning, and he had promised to come. He couldn't have disappeared as well…

cowering in a corner- Don't hurt me -pleading- I swear, I meant to update sooner. Really. It was all planned out, in fact it was all planned out over, and over, and over. -looks around- But the important thing is that the chapter is here. Right? Right. -realizes she talking to an empty room- Hang on, where did everyone go? DON'T TELL ME THAT A SIX MONTH LASPE IN UPDATING HAD SCARED YOU ALL AWAY! -breaks down in pathetic tears-

And now normally I would reply to all your reviews, but since its been so long since I've updated, I seriously doubt any of you remember what you wrote, much less care if I say anything about it. But I will reply to the reviews next chapter -darkly- assuming, of course, I get any.

But anyway, I am SO SORRY for taking so long. Again VERY SORRY. So please, REVIEW because I APOLOGIZE.


	7. Talk With Agent

_Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better._

**CHAPTER 7: ****_Talk With Agent_**

****

It was lunchtime and none of the four had shown up. Joey could see that as he walked across the lawn outside to where they all had lunch together. Tea, Tristan, and Duke all sat there, but that was all. Now Seto was gone too. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself, his nerves starting to become seriously rattled. Seto would be along soon enough. After all, he had been here this morning, and he had promised to come. He couldn't have disappeared as well

"Hey," Seto said, coming up from behind Joey.

"Seto!" Joey exclaimed, nearly in tears of relief. He threw his arms around Seto and rested his head in the crook of his boyfriend's neck. Seto embraced him back.

"It's okay, I'm here," he said soothingly.

"Dey haven't showed up yet," Joey said in distress. "An I could hear da teachers talkin' 'bout how dey didn't call in or anythin'!"

"All right then."

"All right what?"

"We'll just have to go find them, won't we?" Seto said calmly. "And since we're seniors, we can leave campus for lunch. Which means we've got an hour to search."

"Lunch is only half an hour," Joey said curiously.

"Well, I've got a free period after lunch, and they'll hardly try to contradict Seto Kaiba when he vouched for you having a good reason for going with me," Seto said dryly.

"What 'bout dem?" Joey asked, jerking his head toward the three under the tree.

"It'll go faster if it's just the two of us, and if we don't find out anything, we'll recruit them later," Seto said without hesitation. "After all, we're just going to two houses. I think we can manage alone."

"One can only hope for small miracles," Joey said under his breath.

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

Ryou sat on his bed, staring expressionlessly at his bedroom wall. He didn't want to think. He especially didn't want to feel anything. He had been happy for so longhe didn't want to go back to being in pain, being lonely.

"Don't you think it's a bit too coincidental that both Yami and Bakura disappeared within a day of each other," Yugi said quietly, leaned up again the wall, just left of Ryou's gaze. The usually bright boy still showing signs of having cried, a large dark cloud hanging over his head.

"What, do you think they ran away with each other?" Ryou said flatly. Unless Bakura came back and shouted that he loved Yami, there was no reason he had to believe that.

"That," Yugi said slowly. "Or somebody took them." Ryou laughed hollowly.

"Who on earth could take both of them?"

"I don't know, but I've thought about this all night. And even if Yami didleave mehe would have said something. No matter what, he wouldn't want to hurt me like this," Yugi said firmly.

"No?" Ryou said, looking into Yugi's eyes. "What if they thought it would be easier for everyone this way? That it would cause less pain?"

"He would have at least left me a note," Yugi said, a hint of anger in his tone. "And I suspect Bakura would have done the same for you." At one time, Ryou would have had serious doubts about that, but now

"Yeah, I suppose he would," Ryou whispered.

"You know one sure fire way to find out if someone is snatching yamis?" Yugi asked.

"Not really. Did you find a hotline somewhere or something?" Ryou replied bitterly.

"Call Malik."

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

She looked downed at her hands. The hung limply, blood dripping off, running down her fingers and making small, red droplets on the ground. Her stomach churned, everything she had eaten recently threatening to come up in protest of her recent act.

He came up behind her and put his hands softly on her shoulder. Leaning in until his lips were right by her ears, he whispered, "Go." Then he released her and stepped back. It was her move now. She could either follow through with the next step of the plan, or she could refuse, stand up to him, and die.

Her soul might be shrieking for death but her mind and body were not quite ready yet. More time, she just needed a little more time, and everything could be right.

Everything, that is, except that one boy would never have his yami back.

"I will, master," she replied quietly, bowing. He nodded, but he had already known what her answer would be.

She sighed. She was not happy she had to go back to school.

**_Next Chapter:_**

**_"All right," Seto said as soon as they reached his car. "Who's house is closer?" _**

**_"Ryou's, I think," Joey said, thinking back. "He lives on Marnac St. But I'm not sure which house he lives in."_**

**_"Don't worry," Seto said, getting in the car. "I do."_**

**_"How?" Joey asked. This was new information to him._**

**THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON ME! And sorry about the about a month an a half between updates, but I wasn't able to go on line and post. And now I think I've got how the story is going to go, I wasn't sure for a while. Anyway, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEARING WITH ME!**

**Now to answer my lovely, lovely reviews:**

**MOG:** Thanks! S'okay, I can more than understand that -looks around to make sure own mother is not paying attention-

**mandapandabug: **-laughing hard- Wow. Now that review I liked. All right, so, I've updated. It hasn't taken six months and with the possiblity of another chapter coming even before next month, I think I should get to know what the spanish says. Don't you?

**Time-Again: **Sorry this one was short again. but hey -shrugs- at least its and update, right? And to why it took so long, aliens came and sucked my brain out so I had to wait until the spare came...and thanks so much. But talented? Hardly. But I'll take it. Hope you thought this chapter was halfway acceptable.

**Zombiedarkelf18:** I was beginning to wonder the same thing. Hope this chapter didn't crush your hopes of experiencing a great literary moment -sobs quietly to self- but next time will be better. and longer. so that's always good, right? Thanks for reviewing by the way.

**Fadder: **Really? I like cliffies. They make things fun. But here's the next chapter. But still a little suspense -winces- I hope...thanks for reviewing...

**Again, thank you all so much. I know the chapter was short, but I promise the next one will be long and more will happen in it. A lot more. Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW, and thank you for reading this chapter!**


	8. Finalize Title

_Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better._

**CHAPTER 8: Finalize Title**

"All right," Seto said as soon as they reached his car. He pulled out his keys and the car responded with the traditional beep as he pressed the open button. "Whose house is closer?"

"Ryou's, I'm pretty sure," Joey said, thinking back. "He lives on Marnac St. But I dunno which house is his."

"Don't worry," Seto said, getting in the car. Joey stood there for a moment, until Seto beeped the horn twice. Joey jumped. Ah. Right. Get in. "I do."

"What? How?" Joey asked, startled. This was new information to him. He hadn't thought that Seto was close enough to any of the gang to know where they lived- not that he hadn't tried to get them to like each other but certain people were stubborn asses who couldn't let old grudges go

"Last year Bakura was flunking, well, almost all his subjects," Seto admitted, stepping down hard on the gas. The car sped out of the parking lot. Fearing for his life, Joey gripped his seat tightly and briefly considered shutting his eyes. Then he wouldn't have to see what was going to kill him. "He was going to be held back unless he had a major improvement in a really short amount of time, so Ryou asked me to tutor him. Being the kind hearted person I am, I agreed. I even did it for free. Well- I didn't take any money at any rate." Joey's lips twitched. Kind hearted person? No money?

"What did ya take?"

"What? You don't think I did it for free?" Joey snorted. "Fine. I might have -borrowed- a few books from Ryou. And maybe I took a couple duel monster cards from Bakura- but only a couple so don't look at me like that!" Some people never really changed. Seto Kaiba was definitely one of those people.

"Anyway, that's why I know where he lives."

"I can't believe ya managed t' hide dis," Joey said, slightly impressed. "I never knew dat ya were doin' it."

"Well Bakura wasn't going to be telling anybody, and of course, he asked Ryou not to, and I certainly wouldn't admit to being even a little helpful. It was a very well guarded little secret."

Joey laughed a little. It was an amusing picture in his head. The three of them wearing long black cloaks and skulking around like spies, only in place of guns they all carried text books, notebooks, pens and pencils.

While Joey laughed Seto continued to drive, glad that Joey wasn't worried about his friends for a few minutes at least. Seto wasn't sure what they would find. Maybe they were simply having a day off, the rule "bending" yamis finally getting to their hikaris. Or maybe they would walk into the house and find body parts scattered- no. He simply couldn't think like that. Even if they did annoy the hell out of them, he didn't want them dead. Especially for Joey's sake. He knew there was no way his artist could handle losing his friends, and he didn't think _he_ could bear it if he lost Joey. And if his friends all disappeared for goodor diedhe would indeed lose Joey. Please let everything be okay, he prayed fervently.

Beside him Joey stopped laughing. His tight grip on the seat lessened and Seto could tell his was sinking back into his panicking state of mind.

"Hey," Seto said softly, gently rubbing his hand on Joey's shoulder. "I'm sure they're fine."

"Both hands on da wheel!" Joey said firmly. "Because I would like t' be fine too!"

"You think I'm a bad driver?" Seto said, doing his best to sound hurt.

"Right now? Yes!" Joey exclaimed as they turned a particularly nasty corner. Seto chuckled.

"I'm not going to crash."

"I'll believe dat when we're parked," Joey muttered. Almost as if some lovely deity had heard him, Seto slammed on the brakes and the skid to a halt in front of what Joey could vaguely remember as Ryou's house now that he was seeing it again.

"And here we is where we enter hell," Seto said to himself as they got out of the car.

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

"Excuse me!" she called out. "Excuse me! Hey! Could ya please stop!" There she was, back in the heart of Domino city, dashing through crowds, yelling out to a boy she didn't know- and yet, no one was looking at her. For once in her life, she wasn't being stared out, nobody was screaming in terror. It was really amazing, she thought, what a pair of colored contacts did, and it was amazing how much more freedom you had when you walked around not with red eyes but with brown.

The boy stopped and stared at her, obviously confused. He was an interesting sort of guy- tall, slim, with long black hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. He wore a plain black t-shirt and baggy black pants. Around his neck was a black dog collar.

"Hey!" she called again. "Excuse me!"

"Do I know you?" he asked as she jogged up to him.

"Ah, no, but I was wondering if you could give me directions."

"To where exactly?" he smiled at her now that he knew she wasn't some odd sort of stalker. He had a nice smileno, stop it, she scolded herself. There is only Seto. No one else- remember?

"Ah, Domino High," she smiled back at him. She hadn't really smiled in a long time. It feltnice. Ugh, she groaned inwardly, she was using that word a lot all of a sudden.

"You seriously don't know where that is?" he smiled even harder. But somehow, she didn't feel insulted in the least.

"I'm really, really new in town," she admitted. "I just, ah, moved here."

"Oh, well it's not too far and I don't have anything to do today so I'd be happy to escort you if you'd prefer."

"Really? You don't have school or anything?"

"Nah. I go to another school in Tokyo. Don't start 'til tomorrow."

"Well then, I'd really appreciate the help."

"Glad too. 'Sides, I'm horribly bored," he laughed a little. "I need the excitement." She laughed with him, really enjoying their little encounter so far.

"What's your name, anyway? If I'm going to be walking with a beautiful girl I need to know her name." She found herself blushing. She hadn't blushed in so long her hands flew up to her face to make sure it wasn't on fire.

"Oh, um, my name's Kira. What's yours?"

"The name's Myishi. Pleasure," he held out his hand and she accepted. They shook, still smiling at each other.

"So I guess you can lead the way," she said when they dropped hands.

"Follow me madam, and you shall not go astray," he said gallantly. Her gut wrenched. Far, far too late

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

The doorbell rang loudly. Joey felt unwelcome shivers travel down his spine. The tone was a little too haunted house like for his taste. After all, nothing good ever came out of going into a haunted house. In fact, a lot of times people didn't come out alive.

Brilliant, he thought sarcastically to himself, now you're gonna t' die to. Stop thinkin'.

Seto impatiently rang the doorbell again. He did not like having to wait. He didn't care if they were holding a wake inside, common courtesy should make them at least come to the door and tell him to leave. He pressed the doorbell a third time.

"Maybe they're not here," Joey said, looking crestfallen.

"It's possible," Seto agreed, ringing it a fourth time.

"Ryou woulda answered by now."

"Perhaps," a fifth ring sounded.

"Could ya stop ringin' the bell! It's creepin' me out."

"Fine," Seto said, rolling his eyes. "I suppose no one's home. Let's go check the game shop."

"K," Joey said softly.

"They're fine, Joe," Seto said as he caught Joey's look. "I promise you."

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

Inside the house, Ryou and Yugi sat like statues in his bedroom, hardly daring to breathe lest whoever was outside hear them and come barging in. They didn't care who it was. They didn't want to talk to them.

After a few minutes they heard a car drive away. Ryou released a sigh of relief.

"Let's call Malik now," Yugi said, abruptly standing up.

"Right, the phone's over there," he said, pointing.

"I see it. What's his number?"

"I don't remember it off the top of my head," Ryou snapped. "It's in the address book on the desk." Yugi glared at him and yanked the book of the desk, flipping it open. The pressed down the correct series of numbers. The phone began to ring. And ring. And ring. Then someone picked up.

"Marik? Marik is this you?" came Malik's frantic voice.

"I think we have our answer," Ryou said quietly.

**_Next Chapter:_**

**_The school wasn't as big as she had expected. After all, this was the legendary Domino High, lucky enough to have students like Joey Wheeler, Yugi and Yami Motou, and of course, Seto Kaiba. She had been expecting more. But still, it was a school, and in the end she supposed it did what it was supposed to do. Which, if she remember correctly, was to suck the individuality and confidence out of a person. Since she didn't have any left, however, she supposed she would fit right in._**

**_"Kind of wish I went here," Myishi said, a somewhat wistful quality to his voice._**

**_"Why don't you?" she inquired._**

**All right, first of all I want to again, thank all of my reviewers. Thank you so much for taking the time to care. I could thank everyone who simply clicked on it and left a pretty little number on the hit counter, but I'm trying not to get too desperate here. I simply hope you all enjoyed reading my little story. But again, THANK YOU TO THE REVIEWERS! And I'm also going to stop saying sorry for not updating every day or every week or even every two weeks. I'm just happy that I ever finished a chapter. And while the chapter isn't as long as I wanted it to be, I'm happy that I brought back Myishi, of whom I was very fond in AW. I don't know if anyone else liked him, but I really wanted to see how he was doing after two years. Anyway, now to answer to the reviews:**

**GoddessoftheWaters: **I never did read your new chapter did I? Oh well...

**mandapandabug: **-blinks a couple times wondering exactly where she should start to reply to the biggest and best reviews she's ever gotten- Ah, how 'bout you tell me what your song means? I'd like that (mutters to self about learning Spanish) I loved the episode. Kaiba was so cute when he was all desperate to save Mokuba and then Yugi had a little breakdown, OMG best episode in that season (well, one of the best). And wouldn't you like to know what she's up to...and I can't tell you whose yami won't come back. That would be plain unfun, you have to keep reading and reviewing to find out...

**Time-Again:** Ah, but see if I doubt that I have talent then you have to reassure me that I do, which I like. And I like your positive attitude about updates, so long as they're coming its all good...right? (coughs nervously)

**Kikari-Aoi:** Ah, here's the next chapter only...a little over a month since you reviews -sweat drops- -coughs- anyway...hope you thought this chapter was worth the wait...

**All right. I'm about to sound even more whiny than normal. Yes, I know you've all gone into comatose shock, how on earth is that possible, right? Well, here it is: I would really, really like to have 80 reviews before I update next time. I realize that is fifteen reviews, but while normally I wouldn't ask, my sister's story is kicking ass and I would like it to look like I'm getting about ten reviews per chapter, ya know, just to have a little candle to hold up to her blazing torch of about twenty reviews per chapter. God dammit and she's my little sister too! The world sucks sometimes, ya know? But anyway, PLEASE REVIEW I really really want at least 80 reviews before I update next. Thanks Remo**


	9. Panic at this Point

_Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better._

**CHAPTER 9: Panic At This Point**

"So this is Domino High," she said. It was…unimpressive to say the least. It was hard to believe that so many key figures in the cosmic balance went to such and ordinary school. She had been expected something bigger, darker, maybe a big duel arena somewhere. Statues, there should be gothic statues every where. The school building itself should be reminiscent of a castle, big pointy tops of towers grazing the sky. Not this flat, square, sunny building.

"Not what you were expecting?" Myishi asked, grinning at her.

"Is it that obvious?" she murmured.

"No, your face just hit the sidewalk when you saw it and tears began to pool at the corner of your eyes. It was a hardly noticeable reaction."

"Have you always been so prone to bad jokes?" Not that she minded. She rather liked it. Others she knew…well, He that is, never joked.

"I sort of had an experience a couple years ago," Myishi said, looking dead serious, very pensive. "Ever since then I find that I like to be a little more lighthearted. I find I smile a lot more now."

"What happened?" she asked curiously. He looked at her kinds of funny. She blushed. "I'm sorry, you barely know me. I don't have any right ask. I'm sorry." He chuckled.

"Maybe I'll tell you sometime." Was he hinting that he wanted to see her again?  
"I suppose I have to go in," she said, sighing.

"Don't sound so sad. It's a good school. I kinda wish I could go here," Myishi said wistfully.

"Why don't you?" she inquired. There was a lot more mystery to this guy than she had thought there would be. But that didn't surprise her as much as the fact that she wanted to know everything about him, from his favorite color to that "experience" he had mentioned.

"I live in an orphanage in Tokyo, it would cost more to send me here and there's no money for it," he said matter of factly.

"You're an orphan?" she was shocked.

"Not in the strictest sense of the word, but more or less," he said, his smile fading.

"I'm sorry- I've just been so prying- you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to-" she blurted out, not entirely sure what she wanted to say other than beg his forgiveness for acting so insensitively. And she couldn't figure out why.

"You're sorry a lot," he commented, smiling again. "It's okay, really. I don't mind."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I don't care anymore. It's just how things are, and I don't mind. So stop saying you're sorry because there's no need to."

"I'll try and work on it," she said, returning his smile.

"So, inside?"

"I suppose. Let the sucking of individuality and confidence begin."

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

"Somethin's wrong," Joey said flatly. They were sitting in Seto's car again, driving away from the game shop and toward Kaiba mansion. Not school.

"Just because no one was home at both of the places doesn't mean that something's wrong," Seto tried to say, his argument sounding feeble even in his own ears.

"Right, Ryou, Bakura, Yami, Yugi and Gramps all went on vacation day school starts," Joey said sarcastically. "I'm sure dat's what happened."

"Maybe," Seto said, fighting a losing battle. Joey glared at him.

"Maybe not," he said, using his Kaiba skills not to squirm under Joey's gaze. They were both quiet for a while, Seto concentrating on the road, in the back of his mind running through his fail-proof excuse lists to feed the teachers tomorrow, while Joey watching the scenery outside with obvious disinterest.

"Somethin happened yesterday," Joey said suddenly.

"What?"

"I don't know," Joey admitted. His brow was furrowed in worry. "But I don't remember yesterday. I know ya don't either. I mean, dis mornin I woke up in your bed, and I don't know how I got dere. Not dat I'm whinin 'bout that or anythin, but I can't even remember goin' to your house yesterday. I don't remember anythin.

"So something must have happened," he finished.

"And then what, Joey?" Seto asked softly. "Someone erased our minds? Stole our friends and one grandfather mentor type fellow? Why? What could they possibly get from that?"

"Who knows?" Joey asked, growing frustrated again. He found himself doing that a lot lately. "But out of our group, a bunch of us are reincarnated people from ancient Egypt, we used t' play duel monsters every other month t' save da world, why couldn't somethin' freaky like dat happen?"

"You might have a point there," Seto replied, giving a strained laugh. "But the question still remains- who did whatever was done?"

"Yesterday- we hafta remember what happened yesterday. I think den we'll know," Joey hesitated. "Least I think we would."

"Your right, yesterday's the key," Seto said, his voice sort of vague as he went into his own little world, trying to think things through. "Now what we need is something to help us remember yesterday. I'm thinking that if our memories were erased over night then it must have been some kind of spell. Any other way would have taken longer. So all we need to do is find the right counter spell and we should get our memories back.

"But if we do, you must realize we still might not have anything to go on. This is a long shot that might just make the situation seem even worse than it does right now," Seto said, snapping out of his daze, a note of caution entering his words.

"We gotta do something," Joey said, determined to help his friends. He guessed that somewhere along in the conversation he and Seto had agreed that the guys were in trouble. It was up to them help.

After all, it wasn't like he didn't owe them anything.

**LETSCALLTHISTHEPRETTYLINETOSEPERATESCENES**

"What a nice- hallway," she finished lamely.

"Yes," Myishi said, doing an amusing impression of being in a agreement over a serious topic. His over the top look of concentration made her giggle. Giggle! She felt like punching herself. She would not be a girl who giggled. "It is a nice hallway. You have a good point there."

But dammit, for some reason, around Myishi she just seemed to become the kind of girl who giggled.

Some random teacher caught sight of the two of them wandering around and had a stroke of genius strike.

"Can I help you to?" the teacher asked in a voice that screamed, Yes I work at a high school but I am a very important person in the world, bowing is perfectible acceptable. Myishi and Kira caught each other's eyes and had to turn away, their sides splitting from keeping in the laughter.

"Y-yes," Myishi managed to splutter out. "We're looking for the main office."

"I'm headed that way myself, so just follow me," the teacher said generously. As soon as the teacher had turned her back Myishi was overcome with an urge to stand up really tall, pretend to hold a scepter and lord over a few fake subjects for a couple moments.

"Stop it," Kira hissed. "She's see you!"

"Are you two coming?" the teacher turned back around, eyebrow raised.

"Yes," Kira said quickly. "We're coming. Right?" she glared at Myishi.

"Right," he said promptly. "Coming. Immediately. Whenever you give the order- er, whenever you're ready to go- er, never mind. We're just coming."

For a moment it looked like the teacher really wanted to say something, but at the last moment thought better of it. But Kira could swear she heard the woman muttering, "Teenagers" as they headed off toward the office.

"What is your problem?" she asked in a low voice." Now respect for authority figures? What?" Myishi looked embarrassed, and sort of confused.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Honestly, I don't usually act this way. Or at least not to such an extreme level. Probably sounds like a cheap lie, but I don't know, I'm acting different around you then I do around other people, ya know?"

"Yeah," she admitted grudgingly. "I really do." He gave her a nice little half smile.

"So, since we're in the same predicament, we should probably agree on the best way to get out of it together." She felt- embarrassed. And a little sad. Sad? Why? And what did he mean by that, did he not like her or something?

No, stop thinking like that! she screamed at herself.

"Are you free Friday night?" he asked casually. She blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, sorry," now he seemed to be embarrassed. "That was little forward of me, I admit. I'm sorry."

"No- just say it again, I wasn't paying attention," she corrected him. He brightened.

"Would you like to go out with me Friday night?"

Now how could she answer that one?

_**Next Chapter:**_

_**Malik didn't like flying. It made him nervous. Not so much when he was in the air, he wasn't worried about crashing or terrorists like everyone else was. What worried him was landing. He couldn't know what would happen when he did, and he wouldn't be home anymore so not only would events be occurring he had no control over, he wouldn't even be able to go home afterwards. But when Marik had been around, it had been better. Now...**_

_**Now he was going to have to land by himself. After that, he might find his yami dead.**_

**So. School. Funny thing, school is. Homework, tests…laziness abounding everywhere. It's a very catchy disease, laziness, and since I'm already prone to it…but I want to get on my knees, tears of gratitiude running down my face, as I sent praise toward anyone and everyone who read last chapter and has waited patiently for this chapter. I cannot thank everyone who read this story enough- I have been so lazy about it. But finally, after three months, here is chapter 9. It would have been up sooner, but I wanted to make it longer…but I got distracted and tonight I just pulled out what I had written, stuck the disclaimer on top of it and was kind of like "Well I should just post the next chapter" so again, thank you all. Especially to all the people who reviewed last chapter. Again, on knees, tears of gratitude. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

**Hikari-Aoi:** -sighs- and she posts up a new chapter, having not updated for like four months, and immeaditatly gets seven reviews...and she's gonna get more -sobs quietly- but ah, what's FFR? -blinks in confusion- I like DDR...any relation?

**DragonKiana: **-giggles hysterically- the scary bitch might not be so scary in this chapter...but give her a chapter or two and she will have a psychotic break down...next chapter it will just be drama drama drama...not hikaris in this one ('cept for the next time, but ah well) all hai seto jou!

**Time-Again: **-jumps up down ectatically- someone remember myishi! someone remember myishi! -grins- love you too...where would i be without my slightly insane reviewer and her other half to keep me going? ...but did i have to much of the OCs in this chapter...really don't wanna end up with another O Future Tell of Secrets fiasco -shudders violently at the member-

**mandapandabug:** i am, however, on my way to learning slightly less than fluent Latin..-grumbles- my sister's damn story is called Pharaoh's Unknown Child...it was a yami/tea story only til i corrupted her and then ryou/bakura was incorruprated and she promises a seto/joey moment in the epilogue...so while i'm still a tad jealous, its not an utterly lost cause i suppose...damn...i'm advertising for her, aren't i? Dammmit dammit dammit! -coughs quietly- hehe, i am a little whiny about my reivew aren't I? i should work on that...(i'll read your story) yay! pro-myishi! and they'll fall in love...but it won't be simple...and its not like I actually let joey get stolen from kaiba, the very idea is appalling...but kidnapped, that i think i'll have to work in next chatper...muahahahahahaha...and there will be torment invovled, but not so much help from the yamis, since a) on is dead b) the other two are being tortued for as of now an unknown reason...i think what needs to be done in the world is a fashion line dedicated completely to the coats worn in YGO...definitly not too long a review! and hey, if you give me a long one ever, even better! I loved the review! My most favoritest (thats bad English that there is) review is (just called my influenced by Shakespeare "that was the most unkindest cut of all" death to Julius Caeser. Again, and this time take the play with him!) and seriously, i loved the reivw. And now my reply might have been a little long...sorry..but it was just such a nice review!

**GoddessoftheWaters:** wow. that was long time ago.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING (except GOTW, who didn't actually read the story, but still a review is a review...so i suppose her too) I HOPE YOU ALL THOUGHT THIS CHAPTER WAS SOMEWHAT PASSABLE AND FEEL INCLINED TO REVIEW AGAIN! **PLEASE REVIEW! Remo**


	10. Wrap Things Up

_Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better._

**_LAST CHAPTER!_**

**Chapter 10: Wrap Things Up**

Things were getting lighter. It was bit like waking up from the strangest dream of his life, but as Joey blinked, he wondered if maybe he wasn't dreaming now. He had just been in the car with Seto to find spell books…

But Seto didn't believe in magic, so why would they have been doing that?

Why had they been doing that?

He blinked again, trying to rack his brain from any memories. Something about Yami…Yami being missing…but had it just been Yami? And someone had died and someone was kidnapped and someone was hooking up…but none of it was connected.

It was the third blink that cleared his eyes up- or blinded him. All he knew after that was it was very, very white. And it was with the fourth blink he became aware of the ache that seemed to permeate every bone in his body. He wanted to open his mouth to ask what was going on, but he couldn't seem to get any words out.

But he could look down to find himself lying in what could only be a hospital bed; an IV stuck in his arm.

His mind reeled for a moment. Which one was reality? That place with that girl, the one with red eyes, or this bed?

Was he dead?

It took two more blinks for someone to be at his side.

"Joey," Tristan said softly. "Joey, can you hear me? Are you awake, buddy?"

Yeah, moron, he tried to say. But he didn't think that the tiny rasp that came out instead constituted as a proper replacement. Damn, he thought. It was like he hadn't spoken in weeks.

He cleared this throat as tried again.

"Yeah," he managed to whisper. Then, as an afterthought, "I think."

Tristan smiled at him…but were those tears?

"Are ya cryin'?" Joey whispered hoarsely.

"Nah man," Tristan tried to fib. He thought better of it. "Just a little, but you don't know how good it is to see you finally awake."

"Tris, what…do ya mean?" Perhaps it was time to stop speaking for a while. Generally when it started to hurt, that was a bad sign.

"You mean you don't remember?" Tristan said, looking trouble. Joey shook his head slightly.

That hurt too, he noted. All right, no more moving.

"Tristan, what are you still doing here? I thought you had already gone home for today."

Screw that no talking thing- briefly, anyway.

"Seto," Joey said as loudly as he could. Which really wasn't very loud, but it go the desired effect.

"Joey?" Seto said, uncertainly. Joey couldn't see him, but with Tristan's big head in the way, it was hardly his fault.

Almost as if reading his best friend's mind, Tristan moved aside, giving Joey a clear view of his boyfriend. But, was Seto crying too?

What was going on?

"Yeah, he's awake," Tristan said, smiling even bigger. "So, I'll give you too some time to catch up."

"Thanks," Seto said quietly as Tristan shut the door behind him.

"Seto," Joey whispered again. Immediately he was at the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Seto asked softly.

"Like shit," Joey murmured. Seto gently ran his hand over Joey's forehead. He chuckled a little.

"I'm not surprised, getting hit by a car will do that too you." This time Joey found he couldn't blink. This was what it was like to be frozen in shock.

"What?" he croaked.

"Getting hit by a car will do that to you," Seto repeated, assuming an expression eerily similar to Tristan's just moments before. "Don't you remember?" Joey could only give the same response.

"What happened?" Joey demanded hoarsely.

"I should really get a doctor, now that you've woken up," Seto said, refusing to meet Joey's gaze.

"Please," Joey pleaded. That was the last thing he could say. "Please."

For a second he thought Seto wasn't going to answer him, but then came a sigh and an explanation follow it he could hardly believe.

"You've been in a coma for almost a month, Joey. You were hit by a car. Which is somewhat ironic, since this happened as we were coming out of Yami's funeral. I had stopped to talk with Yugi for a moment, and you kept walking…and you weren't paying attention. I don't know what the driver's excuse was." He stopped for a moment, looking down Joey, to make sure he was okay with hearing more.

Joey was more than okay. He had to know. Yami's funeral?

"About a week before your accident, it was Yami and Yugi's anniversary. We think that he had been out shopping for a present and on the way to the store, a truck hit him…but he didn't make it.

"In an ironic twist, the woman driving it was named Kira, and apparently her parents had worked for my step-father. I had actually known her for a few months as a child." Seto grimaced in disgust. "I hadn't known at the time she would end up an alcoholic.

"I'll go get a doctor now."

Forget blinking, Joey was finding it difficult to breathe. It had all been a dream, a dream based on the bare minimum of facts hovering in the back of his mind.

But it had all seemed so real…

As far as he was concerned, it didn't seem like reality was any better.

**_Author Notes: I bet you didn't expect that to be the ending. Soon an epilogue will be posted up, tying up all the loose ends. Sorry it took so long to update -sweatdrops- I admit, that was bad. I apologize...and I admit, I lied about the chapter summary last time...but to make the end a surprise, I had to. And thank you so much for the reviewslast chapter! Remo_**

****

**Time-Again: **I am sorry it took so long to update, but I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter, and I was worried about how this would go over...but at least you enjoyed last chapter, which I am glad for. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to save the story in the epilogue...-crosses fingers-

**mandapandabug: **my excuse for not updating? School newspaper and all the troubles that trying to start one has caused -scowls- stupid school and everyone associated with it...and I don't know whether you remember me whining about my sister's story or not, but in the end -grins- it was brilliant. In the last chapter she made it a dream and threw in the faces of all the Yami/Anzu fans a big fat Yami/Seth finished with just a dabble of mpreg (well, I gave her the idea, but she recieved the flames for it...hehehe). So it wasn't all bad, I suppose. But you're right about the decline of Seto/Jou fans, everywhere I look under people's least favorite couples for YGO I see it -grumbles- stupid mob mentality...hey, I like Latin- if it wasn't for Latin we wouldn't have other languages like Italian...and if I go to Vatican City I can use it -grins- though that's about it...and kind of like with Artist's Window, all the loose ends will be wrapped up in the epilogue...assuming, of course, after the way it ended you don't hunt me down and kill me, there's always that possibilty too...(and on a side note, I promise to send you the next chapter of Holiday From the Ordinary in about one to two weeks! Honestly, I'm working on it, albeit very, very slowly, and for that I apologize)

**So, this is almost the complete end. Wasn't it bad? -nods sadly- -then proceeds to run very, very far away-**


	11. Epilogue

_Disclaimer: Okay, everyone here class? Yes? Good. Now let us proceed. I will now write down some notes on the board. - scribble, scribble- and you, random person in the first row, read them out loud to me. RPITFR: "Remo Con is completely broke and living no where near Japan. She owns more books then necessary, but nothing pertaining to Yu-Gi-Oh. She merely borrows them to toy with them and cause them all misery." -glare- "I mean, make them all completely happy." Better._

**Epilogue**

_All the ashes fade away_

_And past moves to another day_

"Seto, I'm not going to Boston." Two weeks had past since Joey had finally woken from his coma. He had finally been released from the hospital a day ago, and after being conscious for that long in the hospital, he was more than happy to be home.

"What? Why not?" came the startled question. It had been hard for Seto to watch as Joey sorted through things over the course of the last two weeks, to see him still sorting through a few things. He kept it to himself, but he found it morbidly funny that it had taken two car accidents in a row for him to finally realize exactly how much he had changed since the first time he had met Joey.

"Because I was never going to go to Boston. I was going to tell you right before we heard about Yami, so don't think that this has anything to do with the coma or Yami dying. But you can thank the coma for making it easier to tell you. That same talent scout, Darren Eniwa came to talk to my in my dream.

"You know what's funny? There I had the sense to turn him down, even if he didn't want to listen," Joey laughed a little, even if it didn't look like Seto was as amused. If he was amused at all.

But Joey had kept the part that he found least amusing to himself, one of the many parts that had been bothering him.

_As memories are lost to time_

_Sill seeking reason, still seeking rhyme_

"So, what? You're not going to college now? Why? Don't you dare tell me that you're giving up your dream for me," Seto uttered, borderline angry. That college, Joey had been working toward that college ever since they had started dating two years before. How could Joey say that? It was almost the end of August! What was he going to do if he backed out now? He was supposed to fly out in a week.

And he couldn't help put wonder if this was his fault in some way. If he had only been more attentive, if he had been kinder, if he had managed to convince Joey that they would be all right with the separation for a while- especially since they had just opened up a new office there. A fool proof excuse to go and visit.

"I'm really glad to be home," Joey said, abruptly changing topic. Or so it seemed to Seto.

"Why aren't you going?" Seto demanded, not willing to drop it so quickly.

"Do you really want me gone that badly?" Joey shot back. Seto was taken back. He hadn't meant that, he hadn't meant that at all. Did it really sound like that?

"No," he replied quietly.

"Then shut up and listen."

_Yet all those things that never were_

_Seem to happen, can yet occur_

"When I was unconscious, I thought it was a year ago. We were just starting our senior year. I didn't know where home was," Joey sighed, looking around. How many times had they sat in this living room? The painting he had done in what seemed like so long ago now was still hanging over the fireplace. The air conditioning was blasting, just like it had been that year as well. He smiled slightly. They're most important summers thus far seemed to be marked by extreme heat. He hoped that trend wouldn't continue.

The real difference from now and then was now this was his living room too. This was his home too- it had been since he had turned eighteen. It scared him a bit that he could so quickly forgot.

And the amazing part was Seto seemed to get that, even though he hadn't said it out loud.

"It's okay, you know. It doesn't mean anything- accept that maybe you really liked senior year. Forgetting you live here now isn't some great sign, Joey, I promise. It was just another wacky aspect of your dream, in which, might I add, there was a crazy girl lusting after me," Seto comforted.

"Hey, that crazy girl is a reasonable fear," Joey defended.

"Glowing red eyes?"

"She was a crazy girl! What color eyes should she have had?"

_But darling I promise to be here_

_To keep your heart forever near_

"Brown?" Seto suggested dryly. He was smiling now, too. He shook his head sadly. They were so easily distracted and brought of track of whatever was the real issue. But he think he was beginning to get it.

"Not crazy enough!" Joey insisted. His grinned lessened, but didn't fade. "But hey, aside from the crazy girl and back to the crazy college topic, don't think I've given up on going to art school. I'm simply going to be going in country, if that's all right with you."

"Yes, it's all right with me," Seto said, kissing Joey briefly in affirmation.

It really was.

_Since reality lies to keep itself protected_

_We'll allow it to remain unaffected_

"I've already applied and been accepted at a Tokyo school," Joey continued. "So I'll be able to commute there and still live at home."

"When did you have time for that?" Seto questioned, somewhat surprised. He was figuring on having to use a little bit of his influence to get a school to accept such a late registering student.

"The same time I applied for Boston," Joey said, smirking a little, feeling a bit proud of himself.

"Such a sneaky puppy, I don't think I would have expected that out of you," Seto teased.

"I'm just full of secrets," Joey joked.

"I'm sure there are many levels to Joey Wheeler I can look forward to uncovering in the future," Seto said, half-serious. Joey laughed again.

"I don't know about levels, but I'll let you in on a little secret right now.

"I've come the conclusion that I've been around to many plots to take over the world- especially those of the magical sort, 'cause I had myself believe that there was some bigger evil power behind the crazy girl and a reason why I had all three of the yamis kidnapped."

"Well, obviously there must have been because the first evil thing you see is never the most powerful," Seto said, rolling his eyes, but chuckling a little at the same time. "I still can't believe you had me volunteering magic as a solution, though. How long have you known me?"

"Well you've gotten better about it," Joey tried to point out.

"Would I ever say we need to hit the spell books?"

"I was in a coma!"

"Still, coma Joey should know me better than that, I would like to think," Seto argued. And if he hadn't still been smiling, Joey might have been worried. As it stood, he knew Seto didn't mean a word of it.

_And happiness is what will continue through_

_Because that's what I sought for you_

"I'm hungry," Joey announced. "All this talking has worn me out."

"It figures, just barely out the hospital and all he wants to do is eat. Nothing can compare to the joy of eating, even spending time with his true love takes second place," Seto joked, getting up off the couch.

"Well as long as his true love realizes this, then life for the two of them should be perfect for the rest of eternity," Joey joked right back.

They're eyes met for a moment.

True love…

"Yeah, they should," Seto agreed softly.

"Now, are you going to bring me this food, or do I have to come and get it?" Joey asked.

"I'll bring it to your lazy ass, don't worry about it."

The moment had passed, but it would always be there. The road from now on would be just one moment after another, some good, some bad, hopefully no more spent in a coma. This was where the recorded story of Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler ended, but it was no finished by any stretch of the imagination.

And so as he walked out of the living room, headed toward the kitchen, Seto allowed himself to truly feel happy. He had Joey back, and now they could move on from here.

Together.

All because of a game of monsters and a future of art produced from it.

"I love you, Joey," Seto said to what he thought was the empty hallway before him.

But as a hand grasped his, Seto thought ruefully that he had been wrong before. And he was okay with that.

"I love you too, Seto."

_And because now I've come to realize_

_You're my life, without which I'd die_

"Bakura, are you ever going to come back to bed? Your website will still be there in the morning," Ryou voiced sleepily from the bed.

"Just another second," Bakura replied. He pressed the enter button, and then exited the page. He pulled off his shirt and climbed into bed.

"What were you doing this time?" Ryou inquired, yawning.

"Just finishing up something," he answered, wrapping his arms around his hikari.

"What?"

"Someone else's story, now go to sleep. You know you want to."

"'k." And in a matter of seconds, Ryou drifted off. Bakura smiled. Tomorrow he was going to make it all about his hikari. Finishing Seto and Joey's story had been…inspiring.

"So thanks," Bakura mumbled as he drifted off as well.

And that really was the end.

_Now there's nothing left to say_

_As the future has become today_

_**Authors Notes: And like it says above, it really is. I enjoyed the epilogue much more than the last chapter, so I hope you all at least enjoyed it a little bit, and weren't too overwhelmed with cheeseyness. I'd also like to take full responsibility for that badly written poem I stuck in there, I actually wrote it, so the fact that it sucks can be blamed on me. But thank you to Time-Again and mandapandabug for sticking with the story and me the whole way through- and thank you for your reviews last chapter. I'm glad it's finally done, but now I'm going to miss it anyway. Ah well, that's just how life is. Remo**_


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